White Sox' Tim Anderson embraces 'reality check'

White Sox’ Tim Anderson embraces ‘reality check’

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Tim Anderson was having a very good spring at shortstop, and then, all at once, an implode.

Three errors — two throwing and one fielding — unfurled during a sequence of five batters in the White Sox’ 10-7 Cactus League win over the Dodgers Wednesday night.

“I was just throwing all over the place,” Anderson said. “First night game. Things happen. It was a good time for it to happen, in the spring, glad I got it out.”

In the midst of it all, Anderson didn’t appear to hang his head. His body language didn’t reflect one going through what he was.

“I’ve been there before,” he said Friday. “I’ve had worse games than that. When you’ve been in that spot, it’s all about how you handle it. I’ve been having a good spring, so this is just a little reality check. I’m glad it happened in a situation I can learn from. Easy fix.”

Anderson, as intense as they come, wears his emotions on his sleeve. After enjoying the team’s off day Thursday, he came back to work Friday able to smile about it. He said he knows what he did wrong on each play.

“It’s one of those things I take personal, but I can laugh about it,” he said. “It’s one of those things in the game that humbles you. When you think you have it all figured out, you don’t. So like I said, good thing that it happened now, and I’m ready to work.”

Anderson, 25, committed 10 errors over his first 52 games last season, and 10 over his last 101, and the defensive improvements were noticeable, especially going to his backhand. Overall, he made eight fewer errors than in 2017, his first full season.

Anderson gets back out there Friday when the Sox host the Cubs in a Cactus League game (3:05 CST, Ch. 9), the teams’ second meeting of the spring.

Here are the lineups:

Leury Garcia RF

Brandon Guyer LF

Jose Abreu 1B

James McCann C

Yonder Alonso DH

Yoan Moncada 3B

Tim Anderson SS

Yolmer Sanchez 2B

Adam Engel CF

Lucas Giolito P